“The Pantry” (2023) by Shatisha Bryant

The food pantry saved me cuz baby, my hunger pains had me feeling stuck. Burnt bridges and damn I already asked my mama for a buck. So now what? So now what grumbled back at me. My mind can’t think clearly, so how can I go on? Can you spare some change is my internal song. How do I go on? Silence and shame. But, shame can’t feed me. The pantry.